Buyer II

Vast

$84K — $118K *
Aerospace & Defense
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
  • 2-4+ years of experience in sourcing/procurement, supply chain, or manufacturing operations
  • Experience supporting supplier selection and RFQ/RFP cycles, negotiations, and PO placement

Responsibilities

  • Support end-to-end sourcing activities from demand identification to purchase order placement
  • Conduct market research to identify suppliers and support RFQ/RFP execution
  • Assist with source selection, negotiations, and contracting strategies
  • Maintain sourcing documentation including RFQs/RFPs and purchase orders
  • Track supply and demand signals for schedule alignment and on-time delivery
  • Collaborate with quality, engineering, and program management to improve supplier performance
  • Identify cost-saving opportunities through basic cost analysis and sourcing recommendations

Benefits

  • 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents
  • Generous paid time off with up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and 10+ for non-exempt
  • Paid parental leave and disability insurance
  • Access to a 401(k) retirement plan
  • Company equity
  • Exceptional food perks, including free meals and snacks
  • Personalized mental healthcare and ClassPass credits
Full Job Description
Vast is looking for a Buyer II, reporting to the Director of Supply Chain, to support the development of the systems required to design and build artificial-gravity, human-rated space stations.

This will be a full-time, exempt position located in our Long Beach location.

Responsibilities:
  • Support end-to-end sourcing activities for assigned commodities/categories, from demand identification through supplier selection and purchase order placement
  • Conduct ongoing market research to identify potential suppliers/subcontractors, assess capabilities, and support RFQ/RFP execution
  • Assist with source selection, negotiations, and contracting strategies aligned to program, customer, product, and in-service needs
  • Own/maintain sourcing documentation, including RFQs/RFPs, bid analyses, supplier records, and purchase orders in ERP systems
  • Track supply and demand signals and coordinate with planning/program teams to support schedule alignment and on-time delivery
  • Partner with quality, engineering, manufacturing, finance, legal/contracts, and program management to support supplier performance (quality, delivery, cost)
  • Support supplier performance management and continuous improvement efforts (QCD), including corrective actions and recovery plans as needed
  • Identify cost and lead time opportunities through basic cost analysis, pricing reviews, and value-focused sourcing recommendations

Minimum Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience)
  • 2-4+ years of experience in sourcing/procurement, supply chain, or manufacturing operations
  • Experience supporting supplier selection and RFQ/RFP cycles, negotiations, and PO placement

Preferred Skills & Experience:
  • Experience creating/updating RFPs/RFQs, purchase orders (POs), and work orders within an ERP (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite, etc.)
  • Ability to analyze quotes and build basic cost/price comparisons; familiarity with BOMs is a plus
  • Comfortable managing multiple priorities with ambiguous inputs and shifting timelines
  • Strong organizational skills and ability to make sound decisions with limited information
  • Team-oriented and able to collaborate cross-functionally with engineering, quality, ops, planning, contracts/legal, and finance
  • Comfortable working in a high-intensity environment supporting critical mission milestones

Additional Requirements:
  • Ability to travel up to 20% of the time
  • Willingness to work evenings and/or weekends to support critical mission milestones

Pay Range:
  • Buyer II: $ 84,000 - $118,000


Pay Range: California

$84,000-$118,000 USD

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Base salary will vary depending on job-related knowledge, education, skills, experience, business needs, and market demand. Salary is just one component of our comprehensive compensation package. Full-time employees also receive company equity, as well as access to a full suite of compelling benefits and perks, including: 100% medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents, generous paid time off; up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff and up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, ClassPass credits, personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health, and other discounts and perks. We also take pride in offering exceptional food perks, with snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized as part of Vast's ongoing commitment to providing high-quality meals for employees.

U.S. EXPORT CONTROL COMPLIANCE STATUS
The person hired will have access to information and items subject to U.S. export controls, and therefore, must either be a "U.S. person" as defined by 22 C.F.R. 120.62 or otherwise eligible for deemed export licensing. This status includes U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, lawful permanent residents (green card holders), and asylees and refugees with such status granted, not pending.

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